Star Wars: The Eternal Ark
by vrockpokey
Summary: Fifteen years after the events that followed Eco and The Force, Jak and his family take a vacation in the midst of the Galactic Civil War. Little did his children know that he was chosen by The Rebellion to search and destroy the coveted and powerful Ark of Valkorion, a relic that could bring total destruction to The Galaxy. Then, a son's disobedience alters the fate of the family.
1. Chapter 1: The Jedi Family

Star Wars: The Eternal Ark

(The second installment of the Jak and Daxter/Star Wars Saga)

Prologue/Opening Summary: Fifteen years passed since the inception of the Galactic Empire, and each day civil unrest grew more and more abundant. Inspired by a band of misfit warriors hailing from the since captured planet of Eco, the Rebel Alliance was formed, led by the Jedi generals of Jak Mikwa and Keira Hagai.

During this time, the two balanced parenthood and family life on Alderaan, while facing old enemies, rendering massive political decisions, embarking on diplomatic resolves, all while continuing their daring yet successful fight against The Empire as well as recruiting new soldiers to join The Rebellion, motivated by their odyssey to return to their home world.

As The Rebels grew strength in numbers, so did the new Jedi family. Jak and Keira raised three children together, and enrolled them in one of the finest educational institutions in The Galaxy while training them to fight as eco-sensitive Jedi. To prevent them from prematurely joining them on their next adventure, Jak and Keira planned a vacation for their children, while secretly serving a massive mission to locate the mystical and powerful Ark of Valkorion, the former Eternal Emperor of Zakuul.

A relic so powerful, a new uprising empire sought to retrieve it, as well as Imperial Forces and The Rebels. Much like how Jak's life of adventure started, a son's single act of disobedience would lead the entire family to catastrophic disarray…

Chapter 1: The Jedi Family

An Alderaanian transport just pulled out of hyperspace, and approached Chandrila. Dawn broke over Hanna City, as the purple and golden sky majestically painted over the buildings that stood over the seas. Awaiting the transport at the docking bay was Senator Mon Mothma, who represented Chandrila during the existence of The Old Republic. Like her esteemed colleague, Senator Bail Organa, Mon Mothma was one of the most influential figures in the formation of the Rebel Alliance. She had a very important task for one of the founding freedom fighters of The Rebellion that waited to exit the transport once it touched down.

The first to step off to greet the Senator was a Jedi. To himself, he was Mar Skywalker, the long lost twin sibling of Anakin. To others, he was known simply as Jak. Now at thirty-eight years old, his appearance changed from a brash warrior to a wise leader, wearing a long-sleeved, regal blue tunic, silk beige pants, blue sky boots, and adorned with a crimson cape. He still wore his trademark goggles, but grew a green chin-strapped styled beard that complimented his yellow mullet. The Seal of Mar, the symbol of his family lineage, still hung around his neck with pride.

"Come, my family," Jak called out, "One of the esteemed dignitaries of The Alliance is looking forward to meeting you all."

Jak smiled as his wife, Keira Hagai, stepped down from the transport and took his hand. She was a year younger than Jak, but despite growing older, she still looked as beautiful and radiant as ever. She wore an elegant, slim-fit, and pure white dress for the occasion, along with some compression sleeves for her arms and golden jewelry.

"Senator," Keira politely greeted her, "It is good to see you again. Thank you for letting us stay in your glorious world while we rest for our travels tomorrow."

"The pleasure is ours, Jedi." Mon Mothma smiled and nodded, "I trust that our accommodations will suit you perfectly, for you have earned them as reward for your many years of service."

"It's appreciated," Jak replied, "However, I don't believe we are in position to deserve so much special treatment."

"Such modesty from such a bold leader." Mon Mothma complimented, "I'm glad that Senator Organa has selected you two to aid me in such a daunting task I have for you during your expedition."

"Would it be okay if we discussed this later in private?" Keira suggested, "I don't want our kids to know what we're getting into. This is their first adventure and I don't want them to know all the details."

"Of course," The Senator granted, "and I would love to meet the rest of your family."

"I'm sure they'll be thrilled to meet you." Jak replied, then turned back to the transport and called, "Kids!?"

"WILL YOU THREE STOP ARGUING ALREADY!?" A sharp, squealing voice shrieked from the transport. The voice was in the form of Daxter, Jak's loyal sidekick. The orange Ottsel was exasperated, fixing his red vest as well as his blue pants. As he walked towards his long-time companion, he complained, "Sheesh Jak, you gotta control those three some more. They have all these mood swings, and complaints about their problems and BLAH BLAH BLAH! No respect for who they're about to meet and the privilege to go on this damn trip!" He crawled up to Jak's shoulder pad, and then looked to the senator, "Hey lady, how's it going?"

"She kept stealing my weapons!" A young boy's voice piped out from the transport, and slowly walked out. At the age of seven, the boy was the youngest of the three children, and wore brown pants and a shirt adorned with a blue vest. He had the leafy green hair his father had when he was his age, and he shared the same green eyes his mother has. The boy's name was Damas Junior, aptly named after Jak's father. Timid yet bold, Damas Jr. shared the many warmongering qualities his grandfather had. Despite being a youngling that was skilled in the ways of The Force, he was always fascinated with the science and design of weapons, and yearned to hold and use the same morph gun his father had before it was left behind on Eco. However, his mother forbid this, and encouraged him to learn the path of wisdom the Jedi valued themselves, much to the young boy's boastful disapproval.

"Because not only he shouldn't have them," A girl spoke as she walked out, "but also because those were parts our 'mechanical genius' needed for his precious little droid, and he has no clue what he's doing." The girl at the recent age of thirteen was a taller figure that towered over the boy, and she had an appearance that matched her dreary personality. The girl always wore a blue cape with a hood that shrouded her black garments and gray combat boots. She dropped her hood to reveal her face, which was a much more pale complexion than that of her parents, but shared the same blue eyes as her father, as well as the teal hair from her mother. They named her Rhiannon Ahsoka, or Rhea for short. She shared the names of the two Jedi Knights that Keira looked up to the most; her grandmother and the Togruta that aided her parents during their first trek across the galaxy years ago. Limited in lightsaber combat skills, Rhea makes up for it with her wits, as well as her profound connection with The Force. However, she isolates herself from others, often pushing her family away with sarcasm and anger, leading her father to fear that she could be on the path towards The Dark Side. Nevertheless, both Jak and Keira remain optimistic that she will stay the course with the right guidance.

The 'mechanical genius' she referred to was not Little Damas, however. It was instead, the eldest of the three children in the Mikwa family. The last to step off the transport was Samos Mar, but preferred to simply be called Sam. He was named after the legendary Green Eco Sage who also served in the Jedi Order during the days of the Republic, and was the only sibling in the family that carried on the Mar name. Sam was dubbed as the 'Prodigal Son' after he survived his near-death at the hands of Darth Vader while still in Keira's womb. He had turned fourteen years old a couple months prior, born on Empire Day. Outside of his black hair and purple eyes, he looked exactly like his father when he was at that age. He wore a sleeveless purple tunic, beige pants, ruby combat boots, and wraps around his hands. Of the three children, Sam was by far the most powerful Padawan, skilled beyond his years with eco and The Force, as well as a very advanced swordsman. Socially, he appeared to be well liked amongst his peers, and was often known as the zany one of his group of friends, always full of mischief with his jokes, quips, and qualms during duels. His most endearing quality of all was his passion for success and drive for greatness. Even at a young age, he yearned to become the most powerful Jedi in the universe, always competitive with others, and motivated to be more than his father.

Despite showing more potential than his father, he was also the most reckless with his power. Albeit not as intellectual as his sister, he still shows signs of intelligence, but he applies himself improperly. He often questioned the judgement and authority of his superiors, including his parents, sparking arguments and debates that hinder a resolution for a common goal or resolve. Often acting out impulsive and full of anger, Sam would often get himself into trouble at school, and it rose cause of concern not only for his family, but for the fate of the Rebel Alliance as a whole. He, like his father when he was younger, was brash, arrogant, sensitive, and temperamental.

However, he was also very skilled in the field of mechanics like his mother, and built himself a droid that stands on his shoulder. It was a model he created of his own, sharing the characteristics of an Ottsel. Sam programmed him to communicate in multiple languages, scan near and far for enemies using a bifocal lens with infrared and see-through features, lock and unlock any doors, defend itself using rockets and lasers, and to communicate to many beings using over 600 languages, similar to a protocol droid. He had white armor with an orange trim, and despite his astonishing features, he always needed some form of repair.

"Because the only option you had left was to throw him away!" Sam debated with his sister, "Instead of letting me fix him up, you continue to aggravate me. He's more than a droid, Rhea. He's my friend, a friend I've had for many years."

"I found that droid while on a mission on Jakku," Jak explained to Mon Mothma, "At the time, Samos had difficulty making friends and always felt alone. Outside of training, he never really did much. So on his seventh birthday, I gave him the parts and pieces, and I told him to build anything he wanted to build, so he put together his own model of droid after Daxter's image." Jak had the idea of naming the droid, and trademarked it as the first OB model droid. Hence, cheekily naming the droid OB-1.

"Except the rust-bucket keeps breaking on him," Daxter chortled, "I don't care how many 'features' he's got, he aint as cool as me!"

"Hey!" OB-1 piped, "I can certainly do more than your organic-self wished you ever could! I can translate codes, activate defense mechanisms, communicate with other life forms-"

"And lose a limb on the way!" Daxter chortled loudly, "Jak would never let that happen to me, right Jak?"

"Dax," Jak replied, "I gotta give him one thing, he always does his best to take care of his droid. Wish I could say the same about his light saber. He always loses it or gets it taken away due to trouble."

"Needless to say," Rhea interjected, "He has a lot of issues."

"So do you!" Sam snapped back.

"And I'm the only normal one in the group?" Damas Jr. shrugged.

"Damas," Rhea taunted, "look around you. You think anyone in this Galaxy is normal?"

"Yes," Damas Jr. replied, "In their own special way."

"You are way too naïve to survive in this universe." Rhea insulted.

"Don't crush his hopes like that," Sam retorted, "He's only seven. Let him enjoy his years as a kid."

"Why?" Rhea snapped, "so he can become a failure like you?"

"I AM NOT A FAILURE!" Sam yelled as dark eco began to crackle inside his body.

"ENOUGH!" Keira bellowed and ended the squabble, "All of you with the arguing, it's pointless. You don't even have the proper manners to greet one of the most powerful leaders in The Rebellion!"

"Hello strange lady!" Damas Jr. innocently greeted.

"Whatever." Rhea shrugged.

When Samos calmed down, all he did was reach his hand out to Mon Mothma's, shook it, and said, "Pleasure to meet you." The Senator nodded in response.

"That's the best you three can do?" Jak snapped, "Do any of you have an idea what a big deal this is? Kids your guys' age NEVER even step foot on Rebellion headquarters, let alone Rebel missions. This woman has done a lot to preserve the values this Galaxy used to have, just like Senator Organa did. You all should be grateful we decided to take you along on this trip."

"Ah, it is only natural," Mon Mothma was quick to forgive the children, "for I had a little bit of each one of these individuals inside me when I was younger, but I always bowed to conformity. It nearly led to my death for treason when The Republic fell, so I did what I felt was right; I stepped out of conformity and rebelled, and now I am here, making a difference for the greater good of The Galaxy."

"In other words," Jak declared, "welcome to The Rebellion, kids!"

"You mean it!?" Sam shouted with excitement, "Does that mean we can take the fight to The Empire and battle alongside with the greatest Rebel soldiers The Galaxy has ever seen?!"

"No 'hero,'" Rhea replied, "Mom and Dad are just tagging us three along to consider this our 'first adventure' outside of Alderaan, when really we're just riding the bench while they do all the fighting."

"You're doing more than just 'riding the bench,' little lady." Keira snapped at her daughter, "Most importantly, you three are here to learn the ins and outs of our cause: What we fight for, the strategies and protocols in place, and how us Jedi have to survive."

"And that'll be your most important task of all," Jak added on as he handed Samos his weapon, a lightsaber with a shaft made of Precursor metal and the tooth of a metal-head at the hilt. This was the very weapon his grandfather fought with as a Jedi, both in and out of the Order, and was a cherished item for Jak and Keira, so much that they trusted their eldest son to have it during his development. However, due to his lack of responsibility, Jak continued to harp on him the importance of a Jedi's weapon.

"Remember," Jak told Sam before he gave it to him, "This weapon is your life. Use it to protect your sister and brother ONLY. Trust your instincts, but don't go around harming people for no reason. And try not to lose this…again."

Sam sighed and shrugged, "Yes, Dad."

"How can you trust him with a lightsaber?" Rhea protested, "He can't even fight for himself with how much he mishandles that thing!"

"And neither can you," Keira defended, "that's why you don't have one. You need to refine your skills more before you can wield one of your own."

"I'm better than you think." Rhea grumbled, holding back her own surge of dark eco in her blood stream.

"And you, little troublemaker," Keira pointed at Damas Jr. "I don't want to hear anything about you picking up blasters and shooting even one little thing. You're too young to get yourself hurt."

"Aw man!" Damas Jr. complained, "I'll be more responsible than Sam is with his saber! I promise!"

"Doubtful." Sam chuckled under his breath.

"Clearly we are the weirdest herd," Daxter interjected, "dysfunctional, but full of love once you get to know them all."

"Your family is full of such enthusiasm," Senator Mon Mothma smiled and commended Jak and Keira, "we need that for our Alliance. I'm sending them coordinates to the vessel Conquest right now. No one's supposed to step on board of it yet, but they can explore the whole thing if they like!"

"I can't believe I'm saying this," Jak said, "but I think that's a great idea. There's no obvious threat from The Empire and there won't be that many people they can harm! Plus, it'll give us adults to discuss much more important matters."

"You have two hours," Keira advised her children, "and then you report back to the location WE specify at that time. No exceptions. Understood?" They all nodded in agreement.

"Race you all there!" Sam took off running through the streets.

"Hey! No fair!" Damas Jr. followed, using his blue eco powers to keep up.

"Leaving the lady behind," Rhea scoffed as she found a speeder. She finished as she took off, "Classy."

Both mother and father smiled and shook their heads as they were witnessing the first time that their children would embark on a quest outside their home world of Alderaan. It reminded them on their first adventure on Eco when they were around Sam's age, when they journeyed from Sandover Village to the northern citadel in an effort to change Daxter back into his human form while stopping the Achaerons. They didn't know at the time that the course of those events would instead change their lives forever. So while they vowed to do everything they can to keep them out of the more dire matters of the mission, they both had a feeling that all three of them would embark on a series of events that will test them all for the first time.


	2. Chapter 2: The Prodigal Son

Chapter 2: The Prodigal Son

The Padawan siblings raced each other through the streets of Hanna City, speeding through the streets, skimming through alleys, and hopping on top of buildings just to reach the Conquest. Samos was the first to edge out his little brother Damas, while Rhea was the last to arrive, nonchalantly pacing up to the massive barge. The ship towered over them, and stretched over 1800 meters, matching the dimensions of a Class I Imperial Star Destroyer. The children hopped over the 'no trespassing' signs and walked right up the ramp towards a closed door.

As the trio stopped, Sam said to his droid, "OB, do your thing!"

"Yes, master!" OB-1 cheerfully accepted, and stuck a probe to the lock, twisting it back and forth, cracking the combination to open the doorway.

"Hey!" A voice of a guard called out, "You kids can't be here! The ship won't be ready for you all until tomorrow!"

"Sorry," Sam shrugged, "Mon Mothma said we could check it out."

"You don't even have clearance codes," The guard told them, "And I don't have her written approval! This barge has to remain pristine for all the guests for departure tomorrow!"

"Okay," Damas Jr. spat back, "Take it up with her then!" The door opened and the children ran through the corridors of the ship, giggling as they admired the burgundy carpeting and the golden walls adorned by a bright chandelier. They walked up the steps and played tag with each other through the hallways. They peeked in every room, and grew excited of the pools and saunas they would later indulge in using.

The most artistic marvel of the entire ship rested at the highest level, the sky deck. Capped by a curved glass dome, the sky deck was decorated with colorful plants, and already had chairs and tables set up, as well as open space a level below. The kids walked up towards the bow of the ship as much as they could, and looked to the sky feeling inspired.

"Man," Samos gasped, "can you guys believe we get to travel the Galaxy together?"

"I thought we'd never get off Alderaan," Rhiannon exhaled, "not gonna lie this is going to be kind of amazing."

"Amazing!?" Damas Jr. exclaimed, "THIS IS GONNA BE SO TOTALLY WICKED!"

"I feel like I've been across The Galaxy several times," OB-1 marveled, "but I never really got to experience it. I can't wait to see it firsthand!"

"Yeah," Sam replied, "you and me both, buddy. And to think that we all get to live out our dreams fighting with The Rebellion. It's what we've all dreamed about!"

"Keep dreaming, princess." Rhea scoffed, "Mom and dad are gonna have us stuck here while they go on their mission."

"You really take the fun out of all of this!" Damas Jr. whined.

"Don't you see?" Sam pleaded, "This is a golden opportunity for us! We've never even been this far out of our house, let alone off Alderaan! And we get to explore and discover more of The Universe than we could've ever imagined!"

"I don't think they want that of us yet." Rhea replied.

"Come on!" Damas Jr. yelped, "We all know you want to fight as much as we do!"

"I do," Rhea admitted, "but I think they ask us of this for our safety. They want us to see The Galaxy but still train us the way they want us to be trained!"

"Rhea," Damas Jr. told her, "you're being too much of a kiss-ass. You gotta realize rules are meant to be broken!"

Holding back her anger, she turned to her older brother, who said, "Damas is kind of right. Rules are meant to be broken. Look at Mon Mothma, Organa, and the rest of The Rebels. They're called Rebels because they refused to be held down by The Empire!"

"Don't you dare compare Mom and Dad to them!" Rhea yelled, "The Rebellion is different. They're fighting for what's right!"

"And we're a part of them now," Sam continued, "Don't you remember the story of Dad and Uncle Daxter's first adventure? They didn't listen to grandpa. And what about when grandpa convinced them not to listen to this?" His droid pulled out a small Jedi holocron, that opened up and played the following message;

"This is Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. I regret to report that both the Jedi Order and The Republic have fallen-"

Rhea closed the holocron and spat, "I don't need to hear that again."

"You should listen to it every once in a while," Samos suggested, "It's a good source of inspiration."

"And look at where that's gotten you." Rhea retorted, causing Sam to think of a critical time in his past, an event that happened fairly recently.

Flashback…

A few weeks prior, Sam strolled around the elegant and exquisite courtyard of The Alderaan Royal Academy, where he, Rhea, and Young Damas were enrolled as gifted students to learn under the wisest and most influential scholars and remaining political figures from The Republic. Escaping from the clutches of 'Order 66,' These teachers and patriarchs of wisdom took whatever scrolls, texts, and archives they could find, and safely carried them to other worlds. Alderaan was the last hub of knowledge and wisdom The Galaxy had. Each student was gifted, and was a child of prominent dignitaries of The Galaxy.

This included Sam, who was one of the most popular kids in school. He was friendly with mostly everyone, but he was also regarded as the class clown. Known for random outbursts and cutting classes, even days of school at a time, Sam was known by many as the one individual that everyone looked up to. Many girls adored him, but his heart was already stolen by the person who just so happened to be the most popular girl in school…

Ariel Ronin, an orphan girl taken from Eco, Jak's home world. She had radiant purple hair with hazel eyes, and wore regal garments of gold. Her and Sam have known each other for nearly a decade, grew close friends, and eventually fallen in love. They told each other everything about their pasts since they had so much in common. After the Empire's plight on Eco, her biological parents died due to malnutrition and infections stemmed from harsh living conditions. A wealthy traveler from Alderaan soon adopted her and raised her. Five years later, her adoptive father became acquainted with Sam's family, and the rest was history.

She ran through the courtyard, and squealed Sam's name with joy. While he stood there with open arms, she ran to him and kissed him on the lips. There was ambient giggling and conversing, but the two did not care for other's opinions.

"It feels like we've been apart forever!" Ariel exclaimed.

"It's been a day…" Sam replied, "Plus we talked all night last night. I barely got all my work done before first period!"

"You don't need work," Ariel flirted, "You're gonna grow up to be a big bad Jedi! Strongest in the Galaxy."

"Don't get lover boy's hopes up!" Another voice chimed in an approached the couple. It was the voice of Sam's best friend, Jinx Praxis, Torn and Ashelin's only son, was born merely a month after Sam, and was named after one of the fallen comrades who fought alongside them. He wore a sleeveless red tunic with black pants and red boots, while having brown hair and eyes. Despite being Sam's best friend, he led his own group of boys, named Tomsk, Urijah, and Alberask. The five of them together had their own little pact, but the four friends would constantly tease and gang up on Sam, jeering at his insecurities but always cajoling him to acceptance. They collectively called themselves, "The Knights."

Jinx continued to jeer, "You'll make him believe that he can get married, kill who he wants and live happily ever after!"

"That can only happen," Sam shrugged and defended, "if I keep following you around."

"So why do ya!" Tomsk followed, "I thought you wanted to be a 'leader' of The Rebellion!"

"How do you expect The Rebellion to recruit you with the track record you have?" Urijah inquired.

"I'm stronger than you think." Sam growled.

The boys laughed and Alberask chortled, "Sammy, Sammy, Sammy, you really are this school's class clown! We all know who the most powerful Jedi is around here! (pointing at Jinx)"

Sam didn't want to believe it, but that was true to everyone around him. Jinx was the most gifted of the remaining Padawan learners of the Galaxy. He was much more advanced in lightsaber combat and Force abilities than Sam was, rendering his own friend jealous. He was cunning and more intellectual than all else, knowing how to cause trouble and escape it, a trait that Sam yearned for.

Jinx nodded in approval and taunted, "Sam, the more you wish to be like me, the more you lose yourself."

"Leave him alone!" Ariel defended.

"Ah come on!" Jinx chortled, "We're all teasing this poor, misguided soul, but we still love him for who he is, don't we?"

"Yeah," Sam sighed, "I guess so, Pal."

The two nudged each other, smiled, and laughed it off. Then Jinx pointed, "The good thing is, at least you're not like that loser over there."

The 'loser' that Jinx referred too, was another young girl around their age. With dark hair and a somber countenance, she cloaked herself in white garments and bowed her head. She was mildly pretty, but had a plain personality. She stared at Sam, cracking a small smile, drawing the ire of Ariel.

"This girl's creepy," Ariel stormed off, "I'll handle her."

"Ariel," Sam pleaded, "she's not doing anything wrong. It's not worth it!"

Ariel ignored him, and approached the strange girl sitting on the bench. She barked, "Hey, anything appealing about my boyfriend that you care to look at?"

"No," the girl piped, "just being friendly."

"It's creepy," Ariel retorted, "and it's disturbing my boyfriend."

"Ariel please-" Sam tried to interrupt, but Ariel continued to swear and curse at the innocent girl, causing Sam to turn away in embarrassment, and his friends to snicker.

"Just stay away from him," Ariel threatened, causing the other girl to tear up, "Or I'll make you wish you never even crossed my path." She growled at the sobbing girl and walked towards Sam, who scowled at her with disgust.

"You didn't need to be that rough on her." Samos scolded.

"She had no business having eyes for you." Ariel retorted.

"You didn't need to be that rough on her," He repeated once more "she was just looking at me, that's all. She didn't do anything wrong."

"Oh," Ariel felt offended, "so you're gonna side with her over me now!?"

"No…" Sam corrected, "I'm saying that it wasn't the right way to handle that situation."

"A man should always stand by the woman he loves," Ariel declared, "no matter what."

"Yes," Sam clarified, "and I do love you. But that's the Jedi in me talking."

His friends behind him all collectively burst out into uncontrollable laughter. Jinx took his breath in and shouted, "YOU!? A JEDI!? Sammy you really are hilarious!"

"YOU DON'T DEFINE WHO I AM!" Sam screamed, momentarily changing into his dark form. He stormed up to Jinx and growled at him as he stared him down, crackling with dark eco. As everyone surrounding him whispered and stared at the two friends, anticipating a fight would break out between them, an announcement broke over the courtyard.

"Attention all students," a voice commanded, "assembly will start in 5 minutes, please convene over to the amphitheater immediately."

As students made their way over to the amphitheater, Jinx grinned, "Careful, Sammy. We all know how you get when you get angry. Jedi aren't supposed to be consumed by anger, they learn to control it. Isn't that what your father taught you? Or tried to at least?" That prompted Sam to turn back to his normal form, and immediately started to feel guilty for himself. Jinx continued, "Now, you still want to hang out with us? Stay as one of The Knights? Become a leader of The Rebellion?" Sam nodded, then Jinx finished, "Then you follow us, follow MY lead, and don't you dare undermine me again." Jinx stormed off.

As Sam bowed his head, the rest of The Knights tapped him on the shoulder for encouragement. Urijah even told him, "Don't let him get to you, man."

Ariel kissed him on the cheek, and encouraged him to accompany her to the assembly.

He turned to the sobbing girl sitting in the courtyard and replied to his girlfriend, "I'll catch up with you guys later." He walked away, much to the discouragement of his girlfriend, crouched down, and comforted the other girl. He asked her, "Hey, are you okay."

"No," The girl dressed in white responded, "but I will be."

"I'm sorry about my girlfriend," Samos apologized, "she can get a little overprotective sometimes."

The girl sniffled and looked up to him and said, "It's because she loves you."

"Yeah," Sam replied, "but that doesn't mean you deserve it." He patted her on the shoulder as she smiled. While he walked away from her, he turned back and asked, "Selena, right?"

"You know my name?" Selena gasped.

"A lot of people know me," Sam replied, "but you're one of the few I remember." He walked away and caught up with the others.

Thousands of students gathered around a crater-sized amphitheater, with rows of stone seats within. The Knights all walked together with Jinx leading and Sam in tow. They usually sat in the back row of the amphitheater where no one would pay attention to them, and they could talk and goof off as much as they wanted. Sitting in the back with them was Sam's sister, alone, looking down on the ground.

"Hey Rhea," Jinx smiled at her, causing Rhea to look up with eyes of admiration, greeting him back as they took their seats. A staircased-tower stood erect in the center of the amphitheater, and walking those very steps, ready to address the student body, was the most prominent student the academy ever had. She was adorned in angelic white garments, had brown hair, and had a face and brown eyes that charmed everyone in the crowd.

"Oh boy," Alberask sighed, "what does your cousin have to say now?"

"Who knows?" Samos rolled his eyes. His 'cousin' that Alberask referred to was none other than Princess Leia Organa. She was a year older than Sam and his friends, and was in a higher grade class. Not only did she have the highest grades in the class, but she was elected leader of the student body, and was already a diplomat that would embark on political trips on behalf of The Senate. She called the students together for an emergency assembly, and of course the main topic of discussion was the war:

"My fellow classmates," Leia opened up, "I come before you all today to regretfully inform you of a critical time in our Galaxy. The is little to no cooperation with our Imperial Senate and with every waning day, The Empire grows their masses by terrorizing every last system they land upon. Delegations fail, soldiers within our Rebellion die, and we continue to run out of options and lose hope. I know this school has had differences with each other, but it is my job as Alderaan's representative for the Senate to unify our student body, and to rally more troops to fight for our cause!"

'_This is my chance,' _Sam thought to himself, _'this is my one shot to get out of this dump and fight alongside The Rebellion!'_

"And suffer the same fate as all the other Rebels that died before us?!" A student shouted from afar, "We can't fight!"

"We risk our futures if we enlist in The Rebellion," Another student followed up, "Some of us have hopes and dreams that we've worked our whole lives for. Expectations set in the balance of our work!"

The Students clamored as a stoic Leia slowly raised her hands to the sky, and slowly set them back down, silencing them. She continued, "Our soldiers fought for the privilege for you all to be here and pursue these opportunities. What's left of them will continue to fight for your future, OUR future. If we lose this war, instead of scholars, you will all become slaves. Instead of engineers, you will all become scrappers. Instead of building a prominent democracy similar to the one my father once served in The Republic, you will all submit to the fascist, totalitarian purgatory that is The Empire."

"We'll find our own way to create our democracy!" Another Student yelled, "We all have the power to build our own lives!"

"And The Empire will take away that power!" Leia retorted, "Don't you see? If we turn the other cheek, we crumble. Our best chance is fighting back! Our galaxy is tearing itself apart by the minute."

Sam rose from his seat and slowly paced down the steps, in awe of his cousin's speech. Tuning out the ambient ire of his friends as well as his sister, he continued to walk forward and pledge his allegiance to the Rebellion as Leia continued,

"We have one weapon The Empire does not have, and that's hope! We have hope that all of us can band together and fight for normalcy in the Galaxy once again. But we can't do it as individuals. All beings of all systems need to unite as one! Do not give in to fear, do not submit for their approval, and do not accept the promises they lie to you and your family about. Stand together, and fight together. For if you die, I promise now your death will not be in vain. And if you live, I promise you will do more for your universe, OUR universe, than you ever thought possible, and the rewards that will come your way will be immense. But I am no longer asking now. I'm begging. Please, each and every one of you, consider this opportunity to fight, to make the biggest difference for The Galaxy, to be a part of something bigger than you, the one thing that can help fulfill even your wildest dreams once this nightmare is over. Let's band together, stand together, and fight together as one! Who will pledge to fight for The Rebellion!?"

Just when Sam approached the stage was about to raise his hand and officially join the cause, a missile launched from nowhere and hit the pedestal, knocking Leia down. He scampered back as the explosion drew the fright of the scattering students. He stood amidst the ambient cries and screams of horror as they suspected that The Princess of Alderaan had been assassinated.

"Come on!" Rhea yelled to her brother, grabbing his hand and rushing to an escape. He looked around for his friends but they were nowhere to be found. Then he turned to his left, and noticed that the royal guards were assisting the Princess up on her feet. He was relieved she was alive, but he noticed that the guards caught them trying to escape. They raced their way towards them and cut them off, drawing their guns at them.

"Freeze!" The guards yelled as Rhea bolted through them, leaving her brother behind.

"No! Stop!" Sam screamed as he raised his hand up to them, accidentally pushing them back. More guards came and opened fire on the young Padawan. Sam ignited his lightsaber and blocked every blast bolt that came his way. The more that they prodded him with his attacks, the angrier Sam became. One blast bolt hit him, and another, and another, until he was brought to his knees.

His skin grew pale, his pupils expanded to cover both of his eyes, he grew sharp nails and fangs, and bolts of dark eco crackled around him. Like his father, he had a dark form, and the guards made the mistake of attacking him until it was unleased. Sam screamed to the top of his lungs as he charged at the guards, scratching, slicing, and impaling them with his saber. Students tried to rush in and restrain him, but he continued to attack, killing every guard in sight. In the middle of his uncontrolled rage, Sam heard a dark, ominous voice whisper in his ear, bringing him down to his knees once more.

'_These are your first steps,' _The voice bellowed, causing Sam to curl and scream in pain. He no longer saw the guards in front of him. Instead, he saw a dark figure force-choking his father, and impaling his mother with a red lightsaber, killing them both. The figure extended his hand and looked at him with beaming-red eyes.

The voice continued, _'You do not yet realize your importance. You have only begun to discover your power. Join me, and I will complete your training.'_

"NOOOOOOO!" Sam screamed in agony as the remaining guards trapped him in a net and threw him in a transport like a wild animal.

…Present time:

"Sam?" Rhea spoke softly to him, touching his shoulder.

"It's okay," Damas Jr consoled, "We all forgive you for that."

"I don't forgive them." Sam growled as he leaned over the railing.

"Mom and Dad were the first to stick up for you for that incident," Rhea clarified, "You were lucky not to be imprisoned after killing those guards."

"I know," Sam softly spoke, "but I didn't try to kill her! I don't know why no one believes that!"

"Let the investigation play itself out," Rhea advised, "I'm sure-"

"How!?" Sam shouted, "No one stood up for me then! Not even you! Not even my girlfriend or my best friend. If it wasn't for mom and dad, I'd be Bantha Fodder by now." Sam noticed the sunset a sighed, "Let's just get back before they worry about us some more." Then, the three siblings and the droid somberly exited the ship, walking in the streets of Hanna City to return to their parents before nightfall.


	3. Chapter 3: History's Mission

Chapter 3: History's Mission

While the children were returning to their quarters, Jak, and Keira walked slowly through the corridors of the great hall in Mon Mothma's immense residence, where they stayed the night before they embarked on their voyage in the morning. As Daxter fell asleep perched on Jak's shoulder pad, husband and wife had a deep conversation about family before they met the others in the war room.

"Jak," Keira asked, "do you think we're doing a good job with the kids?"

Jak smiled back, "Of course we have! Why would you think otherwise?"

Keira shrugged, "It's just that they're not like us. I'm worried about them."

"Sweetheart," Jak replied, "they're growing up in a different time. They're living a different life than what we had."

"It's just that we've been away from them more than we would've liked," Keira sighed, "I love that they're branching out, but I also feel that we could teach them so much more."

"They have amazing opportunities," Jak assured her, "better ones than we had when we were their age."

"Lucky to have too," Keira added on, "especially Sam. I'm the most worried for him. Ever since that incident happened at school I'm afraid of the path he's on."

"Anxiety is natural," Jak replied, "However thanks to us, he won't be expelled. We will let due process play the investigation out and his name will be cleared in no time. Besides, you and I both know what it's like to be accused and imprisoned for something we didn't do."

"True," Keira agreed, "and I know his heart is always in the right place, but he's always reckless and over-defensive!"

"Hey," Jak playfully scolded, "you said the same thing about me a bunch of times!"

Keira chuckled, "Yeah, he is a lot like you after all. I think part of his problems stem from that girl he's with all the time."

"I don't sense anything wrong with her," Jak shrugged, "she always seems nice and pleasant when she visits us."

"There's something off about her," Keira postulated, "I can't explain it but she's controlling him. He allows her to creep into his mind and alter his vision on what's right and wrong."

"Ariel just loves him and is over-protective of him." Jak scoffed, "You worry too much!"

"C'mon," Keira retorted, "wouldn't you feel the same way if Rhea got a boyfriend?"

"Are you kidding?" Jak chortled, "I wish she did! That girl needs social interaction in the worst way."

"I think it's good she keeps to herself," Keira responded, "I just hope she may get too isolated."

"Part of her problem is," Jak explained, "no one gets along with her well because she refuses to let people in. That's why she's so jealous about how popular Sam is."

As they approached the double doors infront of them, they stoped to face each other. "Jak," Keira quivered, "you don't think…"

"No." Jak quickly stopped her, "Keira, don't think like that. Our kids are just going through a transitional period. They're finding themselves. They are NOT on a path towards The Dark Side. I promise."

The two hugged, and then Keira replied, "At least we don't have to worry about Damas Jr. yet. We just have to keep him away from weapons!"

"He is a weird, goofy kid." Jak laughed.

"That we can both agree on!" Keira followed. She held hands with her husband and asked, "Are you sure this is a good idea to bring them on this adventure."

"Hey," Jak shrugged, "it's their first adventure! We were their age when we went on our first, and we don't even know what the mission is yet! Let's find out…"

As they entered through the doors, Daxter yawned and woke up. They expected Senator Mon Mothma and Senator Bail Organa via hologram, but they were shocked to see Torn and Ashelin seated at the holo-table as well. Both of them maintained their physical youth, but grew out slightly longer hair as Jak and Keira did. Torn wore a blue Rebellion uniform, while Ashelin dressed more conservatively in a sleek, red velvet dress.

"Ashelin?" Jak asked.

"Torn!?" Daxter followed.

"What are you guys doing here?" Keira asked.

"The Senator called us here last minute, told us to look after the kids while you guys do the dirty work." Torn replied.

"We're here for extra protection," Ashelin followed, "We're here to optimize safety while swearing this mission to secrecy from the public."

"Have you brought Jinx along?" Keira asked.

"Oh yes," Ashelin replied, "he's resting in our quarters now."

"That'll be great for the kids!" Jak said to his wife, then turned back to Torn, "how dire is this mission?"

"It's pretty heavy, Jak." Torn warned him, "This is nothing like we've ever dealt with before."

"Right," Mon Mothma interrupted, "Let's begin the briefing shall we?"

Meanwhile, the children rushed through the city and back to the Mon Mothma residence where they were told to meet up, and found a way to sneak themselves upstairs. As they snuck through the corridors, Sam stopped them as he looked down, prompting the others to do the same. They saw their parents, as well as the Senators and Torn and Ashelin, convene down below.

"What the heck are Uncle Torn and Aunt Ashelin doing here?" Sam asked.

"Beats me." Damas Jr. shrugged.

"OB," Sam prompted his Ottsel-Droid, "try to get a clear sound from down there. These windows are sound proof."

"Yes, sir!" The Droid obeyed and scurried over to the nearest terminal, plugging himself in.

"I don't think this is any of our business." Rhea advised.

"Don't you want to know why we are here?" Sam asked, leaving no response from his sister.

"Audio transmitting…" The Droid updated as his 'ear canal' tuned in the ambient sound from below, transmitting a clear conversation from the elders.

"We seek a dangerous relic," Senator Organa opened up, "One of great significance, so much that even The Sith feared it once they created it." The hologram in front of them showed an elaborate casket, and everyone's jaws dropped to the floor as they gasped in shock. The Senator finished, "We seek, 'The Ark of Valkorion!'"

"Holy shit," Sam exclaimed, "We're looking for that!? I JUST learned about that in History!"

"What's so special about it?" Rhea asked, "What even is it?"

"Let's listen in, I'll explain more later." Sam replied, but he couldn't listen, as another flash back occupied his brain…

Hours prior to the assassination incident, Samos sat front and center in a history class at The Alderaan Royal Academy. History was one of Sam's strongest subjects, always fascinated with the history of The Galaxy when most students fell asleep out of boredom. His class, much like the rest of the academy, was made up of students around his age that were also diverse in species across the Galaxy. Despite coming from different worlds, speaking different tongues, appearing in different skin colors, faces, and even limbs, they all congregated every day to seek knowledge with the aim of becoming the next leaders of The Galaxy. On this particular lecture, Sam's class of thirty students were sitting in a mysterious, and very dark lesson in time…

"This wouldn't be the last time Jedi and Sith would work together," Sam's instructor, a Mon Calamari scholar bearing the title of Dr. Plath, lectured his students, "Oh no. When they thought they originally had destroyed the Sith Emperor, he rose again, and formed his own Empire. What was that called?"

Sam raised his hand, but an Ithorian boy yelled "The Eternal Empire!"

"Good!" Dr. Plath commended, "and where in The Galaxy was this 'Eternal Empire' from?"

Sam raised his hand once more, and a Rodain girl shouted "Zakuul! A planet hidden in wild space!"

"Outstanding!" The Professor congratulated once more, "Now, who was this 'Emperor' that rose to power and ruled Zakuul?"

"VALKORION!" Sam screamed with anger, standing up from his chair, dark eco coursing through his body once more. After he heard his classmates chuckle, and noticed that his professor stared him down. Out of embarrassment, he sat down and continued, "Sorry professor, but yes, Valkorion, or the former Sith Emperor, took control of The Eternal Empire on Zakuul. We also discovered that Valkorion not only shared the name of Vitiate, but also the name of Tenebrae, which was given to him when he was born on Nathema to Lord Dramath-"

"Perfect Samos," Dr. Plath interrupted, "you read ahead. Just like I asked. Very wise of you indeed." Then he approached him and looked close at him and asked, "but how far ahead did you read?"

"To the end of the chapter, sir." Sam claimed.

"Did you?" he asked. When Sam nodded, he asked once more, "Tell me then, what was the relic that held all of Valkorion's power?"

"The Eternal Throne." Sam declared, "It was the symbol of the rightful ruler of Zakuul. The Outlander that first overthrew him sat on it, and Valkorion took over that person's mind, serving as some kind of conscience to all of his/her decisions. When his son Arcaan took over, that granted him access to the Knights of Zakuul, while his daughter Vaylin used it to control the Gemini Droids. Everywhere they went, Ziost, Voss, Nathema, Odessen, you name it, they conquered in decimating fashion."

"But was it the only thing?" Dr. Plath pried.

"Umm…"Sam postulated, while his classmates chuckled once more, "I think so. That's what the Jedi and Sith were after, right?"

"You omitted a crucial detail…" Dr. Plath replied, and turned to his projector, revealing a picture of what appeared to be a silver casket with a gold frame, etched with elaborate designs and hieroglyphics. He turned to the rest of the students, "You see this? This is the relic that gave The Eternal Throne its power. This is Valkorion's Ark. Historians recorded that this was where they rested his 'body' after Arcaan killed him. The Emperor's essence and power is hidden inside this ark. Whoever discovers it, and recites the ancient Sith ritual that opens it and awakens its power, will have complete control over everything the Eternal Army has to offer, and could bring total chaos to the entire Galaxy. In order to awaken what sleeps inside the ark, you must utilize his holocron with the ritual."

"Doc?" Jinx suddenly spoke at the back of the classroom, "This ark, and this holocron, where do you suspect they are now? I've searched in the archives for these planets Sam mentioned, and they're here in the texts, but according to the star charts, these worlds don't exist. I'm curious, is this all a myth, a hoax, or is this yet another secret The Jedi Order and The Republic are trying to hide from us?"

Everyone turned to Jinx, with stunned faces floored and beaming eyes glaring at him, including Sam and Dr. Plath, who inquired, "What are you saying, Mr. Praxis?"

"I'm saying," Jinx extrapolated, "That if this 'ark' does exist, and this 'holocron' holds the key to unlocking such power to dominate over The Galaxy, then that must mean The Jedi have held on to it for many years. That's why they dominated over the entire Universe for so long, before a traitor exposed them from the inside out. In an effort to prevent him from selling this information to The Sith, they destroyed everything they could because they knew that they would be after it. That's why on the records we have, it doesn't exist."

Dr. Plath continued to walk towards Jinx's desk and said, "That's a bold claim you make, Jinx. Aren't you training to become a Jedi like your parents were before you?" Jinx nodded, because he was, and he was much more advanced in lightsaber combat and Force abilities than Sam was, rendering his own friend jealous. Dr Plath continued, "So why would you make a bold claim against an order of heroes you aspire to be?"

Jinx smirked, "Because the Jedi were too soft. They sensed that evil was afoot within their system. Had they used this power to their advantage, their 'Chancellor' would have never laid the groundwork for The Empire that exists today, and they would've never been slain by their own traitor. They destroyed the evidence out of fear of The Sith controlling it so much, they destroyed themselves."

"Where did you come up with this theory?" Dr. Plath retorted, "Who told you of this rabble?"

Dodging the question, Jinx replied "If it were me running the Jedi Order, I would have found a way to use that power to our advantage, to save the Republic-"

"Do you have any idea what kind of dark theory you're playing with Mr. Praxis!?" Dr. Plath spat back, "Are you suggesting that this kind of power should be passed from one person to the next carelessly? Without consequences!?"

"I'm suggesting," Jinx clarified, "in times of a crisis, complete power should be used at all costs. The Jedi had the power to stop this before all of this happened. Order 66 didn't kill them, fear did."

"You weren't there," Sam clarified, "and neither were our parents."

"The insurrection of The Empire created a resounding impact for The Galaxy," Dr. Plath began, "one you have not experienced. Tell me, Mr. Mikwa, why are we here to learn history?"

Sam replied, "To make sure it doesn't repeat itself?"

"By making the same mistakes the ones before us have." Dr. Plath replied, then continued to the rest of the class, including Jinx, "Now, we can sit here and debate the gravity of this relic all day long, but the big takeaway I have from this lecture is this; The Ark of Valkorion is unpredictable. It can create a whole new universe, or destroy the one we have. It is not to be trifled with if discovered. Frankly, I hope it doesn't exist. But if it does, and if one of you ever crosses paths with the casket of The Eternal Emperor, and the power it possesses within, do not let it corrupt you. Power is a feeling unlike any other, but too much of it will steer you in a direction far from who you all really are. The only greater power you all have, more than any artifact or ancient being, is the power you possess in your heart."

…Present time:

"Oh great!" Daxter exasperated, "More dark stuff for us to deal with!"

"So you're telling us," Jak followed, "that The Ark of Valkorion, if it does exist, can be used to either create or destroy full universes."

"Yes," Mon Mothma confirmed, "it does exist, and it does have that power."

"So what do you need it for?" Keira asked.

"We need it to awaken an army that will serve The Rebellion," Senator Organa answered, "Our numbers our dwindling and The Empire is raging with dark power. If we can somehow awaken this ark, and use its full potential to restore the Eternal Fleet, serving under the Rebel Alliance, it can turn the tide of this war."

"This is a Sith Artifact!" Jak argued, "You can't just expect to use it against an entity that is run by two Sith Lords. It's much too dangerous!"

"How do you know it even exists?" Keira asked.

The Senator proceeded to hold out a small, golden sphere, with small encryptions and three major pockmarks on it. She answered, "This map, will lead you to the Holocron that unlocks the Ark. Our spies have located the first clue lost somewhere on Lothal. That is the only known destination the Conquest is charting so far. These three pockmarks each have missing gold crystals, one for each child Valkorion sired. They are rumored to be hidden in systems only found in Wild Space. Once you fill the map with the crystals, you find the Holocron, which should lead you to Zakuul."

"And then what happens?" Torn asked.

Senator Organa continued, "There's an ancient Sith Ritual that the holder of the Holocron must recite to unlock the Ark. Beyond that…" he trailed off, took a deep breath, and finished, "rumor has it that the individual that awakens the ark will seize ultimate control of The Eternal Army, and will use it to however they wish. That is where we must place them under the allegiance of The Rebellion."

"So," Jak summarized, "you're asking us to take this space barge all the way across The Galaxy filled with innocent people who are going on this quest with us against their will, to look for a map with three crystals that can lead us to a mythical Sith Artifact that may put the Galaxy at risk for extinction?"

Senator Organa bowed his head, "These are great risks we've calculated, but for now this is our only hope against The Empire."

Jak shook his head, "I can't do it."

"What!?" Ashelin shouted across the room, "This is the kind of mission you'd go for, Jak! Just like the old days!"

"Jak," Torn added on, "We haven't been on a mission like this since-"

"Since we were driven out here," Jak interrupted, "and things have changed since then. We're not who we used to be back home. We have families now. We're Jedi. Keepers of the peace for the entire Galaxy and the number one target for The Empire. I don't mind risking my own life for something this big, but my kids? Your kid? They have a lot to live for."

"No don't!" Sam whispered, "don't cancel this adventure. We can handle this!"

"Jak," Torn argued, "Our kids now were the same age you and Keira were when you went on your first adventure, and Ashelin and I were in the guard since birth. They can handle this!"

"I don't know about this, Jak." Daxter chimed in, "I got some nasty juju vibes surrounding this mission. Something dark and nasty is afoot!"

"But if we sit here and do nothing," Mon Mothma retorted, "we all may not have a future for The Galaxy. The stakes are much higher now."

"We could try handing off this 'army' to The Precursors?" Keira added, "They're allies of The Rebellion after all!"

"And their numbers are fleeting too." Jak replied.

"And I'm the only one of them left it seems!" Daxter added.

"All the more reason to give this a shot!" Keira exclaimed.

"You can't be serious…" Jak grumbled.

"Mother knows best." Ashelin said.

"Jak," Keira persuaded, "Think about everything that is happening right now. The Empire is at large and are growing stronger every day. We've learned the secrets about the Dark Side of The Force and used it against them before. If there's anyone that knows how to use the Dark Side against them, it's you! I know there's a bigger risk for this mission now because of the kids and all, but the state of the Galaxy is fractured. Plus, our kids are ready to go on their first adventure with us. Let's give this a shot!"

Jak sat and pondered for a few moments, looking pensive as he went into deep thought. What if he lost control of himself and everything he was taught as a Jedi when he would have the ark in his sights? What if it fell to the wrong hands? What if Darth Vader seized it? What if his children succumbed to its power? It worried him, and for the first time in a long time, he felt fear from this mission. For some reason he sensed that it would not end well. However, he was loyal to The Rebellion, and the cause that he initiated still held near and dear to him. Keira made a great point about the Precursors, and he thought it just might be possible to pull it off as long as he maintained the right intentions for the mission.

Jak declared, "Fine. I'll lead this team to search and bring forth The Ark of Valkorion to the Rebel Alliance, and I will disperse it's power to The Precursors, who are still in need of rehabilitation stemmed from the destruction The Dark Makers and The Empire caused fifteen years ago. However, if in my judgement I sense that this relic's power is too dark for our control, and any part of this quest goes awry, I have full authorization to destroy it on site, preventing any corruption for the greater good of The Galaxy."

Mon Mothma nodded, "Done." And she tossed Jak the map.

"It's settled, then," Senator Organa concluded, "The mission is still a go, with Jak's full control in terms of The Ark."

"I got a bad feeling about this," Daxter quivered.

"Yes!" Samos whispered, "Our first adventure, guys!"

"This is gonna be so awesome!" Damas Jr. joined in,

"Don't get your hopes up," Rhea relpied, "we won't even play a role. Besides, shouldn't we get back to our room before they realize we've been out to long?"

"And that we know everything…" Sam agreed, "yup. Time to go!"

Before the briefing Adjourned, Mon Mothma addressed the group, "While Jak did accept this mission, I must inform you that his concerns are valid. This is the greatest risk we have ever taken, and I have placed my full faith and trust in you all. The Galaxy rests in your hands. It can be saved by you, or lost with you. It is imperative that you must do everything you can to succeed in this mission, as failure speaks doom for us all. Go, and may The Force be with you all."


End file.
